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Two mosasaur tooth crowns collected from the Maastrichtian chalk sequences of Stevns Klint and Møns Klint are here assigned to Prognathodon, a mosasaur genus hitherto unknown from Denmark. Together with previous records of the mosasaurs Plioplatecarpus, Mosasaurus and Carinodens, these new finds of Prognathodon document the coexistence of four mosasaurid genera in the Danish chalk and underscore simi-larities to coeval assemblages from the Maastrichtian type area in the Netherlands and Belgium.

St. Anastasia Island is one of the symbols of the cultural and historical heritage of the Republic of Bulgaria. This raises the need for the study of risky oceanographic factors, climatic phenomena, risky geological processes as well as detailed petrographical characteristics of the Upper Cretaceous volcanic rocks forming the islands. The results of the petrographical study show that the island was built by Alkali feldspar trachytes. The volcanics from St. Anastasia Island shows a close petrochemical similarity to the volcanics from Alatepenski paleovolcano belonging to the “Peripheral Volcanic Centers” in the region.

International audience; The Hides anticline in the Papua New Guinea fold belt is the core part of the Papua New Guinea liquified natural gas project that commenced production in 2014, yet little is known about its internal structure, particularly at depth. The structure of the upper 3 km (9843 ft) is relatively well constrained from surface data, recent development wells, and poor-quality two-dimensional seismic data, but the deep structure has been obscure. Seismic data and gravity modeling suggest an underlying large normal fault in basement. Forward geometrical modeling using MoveTM and four-dimensional analog sandbox modeling under an x-ray tomography scanner have greatly constrained the structural interpretation. The modeling confirms the presence of the underlying basement normal fault and suggests that it was mildly inverted prior to the onset of pure compression deformation in the sedimentary section. The main detachment level was just above basement approximately 8–10 km (∼5–6 mi) beneath the surface, but this ramped up at the basement fault creating an array of triangle-zone faults through the overlying sedimentary section, building the Hides anticline. The early inversion was instrumental in initiating a back thrust and hinterland-verging tight fold in the Mesozoic section, including the source, reservoir, and seal. Deformation in the thick Miocene carbonates at the surface was detached from that in the underlying reservoir along an Upper Cretaceous mudstone horizon that varies strongly in thickness such that the 2–4-km (6562–13,123-ft)-high Mesozoic structure verges northeast and the overlying Miocene structure verges southwest. Analog modeling shows that a ductile stratigraphy is required with slow strain rates of approximately 1–3 km/m.y. (∼3281–9843 ft/m.y.).

The article is concerned with the first finds of rhyolite ashes in Upper Cretaceous sediments of Novaya Sibir Island. In the course of the field work in the area of cape Utes Derevyannykh Gor in 2016, four layers of unlithified fine-grained ashes were found in the Turonian-Coniacian coal-bearing Derevyannye Gory Formation. The article presents the results of petrographic, X-ray diffractometric and microprobe analysis of pyroclastics from ash layers. A typification of volcanogenic-terrigenous deposits is proposed. Thin section of the samples were investigated on a polarizing microscope. X-ray phase analysis of the clay fraction was carried out using a DRON-3 diffractometer. X-ray microanalysis of vitroclasts were carried out on a scanning electron microscope “Jeol JSM-6480LV” with the microprobe analyzer “Oxford Instruments INCA-Energy 350”. It was established that Derevyannye Gory Formation is composed of rhyolitic tuffites, among which fine-grained crystal-vitroclastic and vitroclastic ashes of low and normal alkaline high-potassium rhyolites with thickness up to 2.5 m. Low pyroclastics sediments are not widespread. New data on the structure and composition of the Derevyannye Gory Formation confirm the hypothesis of previous researchers, that sedimentation in the Late Cretaceous in the area of Novaya Sibir Island was accompanied by explosive acidic volcanism. The main purpose of the article is to discuss the sources of pyroclastic material for the territory of the New Siberian Islands in the Turonian-Coniacian age. The conclusion is made about the territorial proximity of the paleovolcanic eruption center to the area of sedimentation. It is assumed that the paleovolcanic centers were located within the present territory of Kotelny, Zemlya Bunge, Faddeevsky islands and, probably, were inherited from the Early Albian stage.

The relevance of the work. This paper is devoted to topical issues of identifying promising intervals favorable for petrophysical properties for hydrocarbon accumulations using 3D seismic data. The purpose of these studies is to establish the effective attributes of the seismic-wave motion to determine the petrophysical properties of Maikop sediments aimed at restoring oil and gas production in the Gazanbulak area. The subjects of research are core materials, well geophysical survey data and seismic attributes, as well as relationships between core data and mathematical transformations of petrophysical properties data. The PP curves were transformed into the porosity values of the sediments of the target interval, and a regression equation was obtained for the research area, which establishes a relationship between the porosity coefficient and �PP. The object of research is the Gazanbulak field. The paper gives a brief geological and geophysical characteristic, stratigraphic and lithological description of the rocks composing the section of this field. Despite the fact that this field has been repeatedly studied by various geological and geophysical methods, many features of its structure are not fully clarified; in 2014, 3D seismic surveys were carried out. Result of the studies. The main results of studies on the petrophysical properties of the Gazanbulak horizon II of the Maikop suite using 3D seismic and GIS seismic data are presented. The cubes, reservoir maps, and porosity maps were constructed according to which it was found that the percentage of sands is high and reaches 62% in the target interval; the average values of apparent resistivity vary from 3.0–8.4 ohm m. It is shown that the calculated �PP values by area increase in the southern and eastern parts of the Ziyadkhan area, and the predicted porosity data are observed in the central part of the Ziyadkhan area, in the northern and central parts of the Gazanbulak area. The values of the porosity coefficient calculated for the research interval are approximately 10–22%. The results of the forecast of porosity using the seismic attribute RMS Amplitude are given. Comparison of maps constructed by different methods (GIS and RMS amplitude analysis) shows that the data obtained by different computation methods are similar and coincide quite well and can be used in determining the location of the next production well. Conclusion. RMS Amplitude can be successfully used to determine the petrophysical properties of individual sediments of deposits with similar seismic and geological conditions

During the Late Cretaceous mosasaurs experienced a very rapid diversification, and inhabited almost the whole globe, especially in ancient coastal marine environments and subtropical epicontinental seas. Occurrences of mosasaurs as both complete and fragmentary material are known from all continents, ranging from the Canadian Arctic to Antarctica and from northern Europe to southern Africa. Despite their frequent occurrence in Europe, mosasaur remains from Italy are quite rare. Considering the central position of the Italian peninsula in the Tethyan realm during the Late Cretaceous, and the extensive outcrop of shallow-marine carbonates deposited in that period, the extreme rarity of mosasaur material is really puzzling. Occurrences of mosasaurs in Italy are essentially limited to historical findings from the second half of the 19th century, with specimens from the Vittorio Veneto area in Northern Italy, Reggio Emilia (Castellarano municipality) and from the Argille Scagliose Complex of Northern Italy. In this contribution we present and describe the first evidence for a mosasaur from the Turonian of the Apennine Carbonate Platform, represented by an isolated tooth found within the Cretaceous limestones outcropping on the eastern slopes of Mt. Cima la Torre (Prossedi, Latina, Central Italy). The absence of evident granulae in the proximal portion of the crown, the just slightly posteriorly recurved tooth crown, the sub-oval cross section moderately compressed labiolingually, the different order of striae vanishing to disappear towards the upper part of the crown, and the presence of dense tertiary striae (especially at the base of the crown) allow us to refer the isolated tooth to the subfamily Tylosaurinae. The new specimen represents the first Tylosaurinae mosasaur from Italy; in addition, assuming a paleolatitude of 25°N for the Apennine Carbonate Platform, the new finding also represents the southernmost occurrence of a Tylosaurinae mosasaur in the northern margin of the Mediterranean Tethys, throwing new light on the dispersal pattern of this crucial clade of mosasaurs in the Late Cretaceous.

This study describes and interprets Upper Cretaceous volcaniclastics interbedded with hemipelagic to pelagic limestones, marls, and turbidites from the Western Pontides, northwestern Turkey. The Dereköy Formation, the Unaz Formation (red pelagic limestone unit), and the Cambu Formation can be distinguished, overlain by the turbiditic Akveren Formation. Biostratigraphic ages from the predominantly volcaniclastic Dereköy Formation indicate Turonian (Dicarinella concavata planktonic foraminifera zone, CC13/UC8-9 nannofossil zones) to middle/late Santonian ages up to CC17/UC13. The Unaz Formation, deposited during the late Santonian (UC13, Dicarinella asymetrica Zone), is overlain by the volcaniclastic Cambu Formation of latest Santonian (CC17b/UC13) to early/middle Campanian (CC20/UC15a) age. However, turbidite intercalations are already present diachronously from CC19/UC14d onwards, and the turbiditic Akveren Formation ranges up into the late Maastrichtian (Abathomphalus mayaroensis Zone). Geochemistry of the volcaniclastic units reveals information about the volcanic series and tectonic setting, although element mobility has to be considered. An overall trend of calc-alkaline to high-K calc-alkaline series and basaltic to basalt-andesitic rock types was identified. A negative Nb anomaly with respect to Th and Ce in all samples confirms the existence of a volcanic arc, also indicated by a negative Ti anomaly. Biostratigraphic age constraints give evidence for volcanic arc activity mainly between Turonian and early Campanian, ca. 91 - 79 Ma. Various geochemical data, especially element variations normalized to N-MORB, show two types of volcanic arc basalts (VAB): (1) Calc-alkaline to high-K calc-alkaline VAB have increased Nb and Zr values, (2) more tholeiitic VABs are depleted in Nb, Zr, Ti, V. The volcaniclastics successions were deposited in an arc setting triggered by different stages of subduction of the Neotethys Ocean to the south and contemporaneous spreading in the Western Black Sea Basin to the north. An extensional regime caused formation of small but deeper-water sedimentary basins along the southern shore of the Black Sea where volcaniclastic complexes interfingered within short lateral distances with pelagic and mass-flow deposits.

The James Ross Basin, in the northern Antarctic Peninsula, exposes which is probably the world thickest and most complete Late Cretaceous sedimentary succession of southern high latitudes. Despite its very good exposures and varied and abundant fossil fauna, precise chronological determination of its infill is still lacking. We report results from a magnetostratigraphic study on shelfal sedimentary rocks of the Marambio Group, southeastern James Ross Basin, Antarctica. The succession studied covers a ~1,200 m-thick stratigraphic interval within the Hamilton Point, Sanctuary Cliffs and Karlsen Cliffs Members of the Snow Hill Island Formation, the Haslum Crag Formation, and the lower López de Bertodano Formation. The basic chronological reference framework is given by ammonite assemblages, which indicate a Late Campanian – Early Maastrichtian age for the studied units. Magnetostratigraphic samples were obtained from five partial sections located on James Ross and Snow Hill islands, the results from which agree partially with this previous biostratigraphical framework. Seven geomagnetic polarity reversals are identified in this work, allowing to identify the Chron C32/C33 boundary in Ammonite Assemblage 8-1, confirming the Late Campanian age of the Hamilton Point Member. However, the identification of the Chron C32/C31 boundary in Ammonite Assemblage 8-2 assigns the base of the Sanctuary Cliffs Member to the early Maastrichtian, which differs from the Late Campanian age previously assigned by ammonite biostratigraphy. This magnetostratigraphy spans ~14 Ma of sedimentary succession and together with previous partial magnetostratigraphies on Early-Mid Campanian and Middle Maastrichtian to Danian columns permits a complete and continuous record of the Late Cretaceous distal deposits of the James Ross Basin. This provides the required chronological resolution to solve the intra-basin and global correlation problems of the Late Cretaceous in the Southern Hemisphere in general and in the Weddellian province in particular, given by endemism and diachronic extinctions on invertebrate fossils, including ammonites. The new chronostratigraphic scheme allowed us to calculate sediment accumulation rates for almost the entire Late Cretaceous infill of the distal James Ross Basin (the Marambio Group), showing a monotonous accumulation for more than 8 Myr during the upper Campanian and a dramatic increase during the early Maastrichtian, controlled by tectonic and/or eustatic causes. Fil: Milanese, Florencia Nidia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Geociencias Básicas, Aplicadas y Ambientales de Buenos Aires. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Geociencias Básicas, Aplicadas y Ambientales de Buenos Aires; Argentina Fil: Olivero, Eduardo Bernardo. Universidad Nacional de Tierra del Fuego; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Austral de Investigaciones Científicas; Argentina Fil: Raffi, María Eugenia. Universidad Nacional de Tierra del Fuego; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Austral de Investigaciones Científicas; Argentina Fil: Franceschinis, Pablo Reinaldo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Geociencias Básicas, Aplicadas y Ambientales de Buenos Aires. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Geociencias Básicas, Aplicadas y Ambientales de Buenos Aires; Argentina Fil: Gallo, Leandro César. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Geociencias Básicas, Aplicadas y Ambientales de Buenos Aires. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Geociencias Básicas, Aplicadas y Ambientales de Buenos Aires; Argentina Fil: Skinner, Steven M.. California State University; Estados Unidos Fil: Mitchell, Ross N.. California Institute of Technology; Estados Unidos Fil: Kirschvink, Joseph L.. California Institute of Technology; Estados Unidos. Tokyo Institute of Technology; Japón Fil: Rapalini, Augusto Ernesto. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Geociencias Básicas, Aplicadas y Ambientales de Buenos Aires. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Geociencias Básicas, Aplicadas y Ambientales de Buenos Aires; Argentina

A serrated tooth from the Coniacian-Santonian (Upper Cretaceous) Polazzo fossil site (Karst, NE Italy) is the first record of a notosuchian crocodyliform from Italy. Although it shares synapomorphies with teeth referred to the European genus Doratodon and with the Gondwanan genus Araripesuchus, it is distinct in the unusual combination of features, suggesting the presence of a yet unreported notosuchian taxon in the Adriatic-Dinaric Carbonate Platform located in the Tethys between the Afroarabian continent and the North European landmass during Late Cretaceous times. Notosuchians were typically terrestrial crocodyliforms, supporting the presence of emergent areas on the carbonate platform.

Upper Cretaceous mixed carbonate-siliciclastic sequences are among the most important targets for hydrocarbon exploration in the Moghan area, located in the eastern Para-Tethys Basin. Despite of their significance, little is known about their facies characteristics and depositional environments. Detailed facies analysis and paleoenvironmental reconstruction of these sequences have been carried out in eight surface sections. Accordingly, four siliciclastic facies, eight carbonate facies and one volcanic facies have been recognized. Detailed facies descriptions and interpretations, together with the results of facies frequency analysis, standard facies models and Upper Cretaceous depositional models of Para-Tethys Basin, have been integrated and a non-rimmed carbonate platform is presented. This platform was affected by siliciclastic influx, in the form of coastal fan delta and submarine fans in the shallow- to deep-marine parts, respectively. This model is interpreted to be shallower in the central and northeastern parts of the Moghan area. Toward the southeast and southwest, this shallow platform turns into deep marine settings along steep slopes without remarkable marginal barriers.

The Lower Maastrichtian of Fumanya and neighbouring localities of the Vallcebre syncline (Eastern Pyrenees, Catalonia) provide the first taphonomic evidence for the hypothesis that cheirolepidiacean conifers were significant precursors of Maastrichtian Pyrenean coal. Most Frenelopsis-rich lignite beds do not bear rootlet marks, suggesting that the original peat was detrital. Sedimentological and taphonomic evidence indicates deposition in the margins of a lagoon after the transport of the cheirolepidiacean remains by flotation. The same parautochtonous assemblage includes complete impressions Sabalites longirhachis leaves and large impressions of logs attributed to the same palm trees. Other parautochthonous or allochthonous plant megaremains include extremely rare cycadalean and monocot leaves and abundant minute angiosperm seeds. Rootlet marks associated with thin lignite beds occur at the top of some charophyte limestones. The charophyte association, dominated by in situ accumulation of Peckichara and Microchara gyrogonites, suggests that these limestones were deposited in shallow, freshwater lakes and that the corresponding peat mires were limnic rather than paralic in nature. The botanical affinity of plant remains associated with these root-bearing lignites is uncertain. Palynological analysis showed abundant bisaccates, with less abundant fern spores and freshwater algal oospores. Locally, the abundant rootlet marks were associated with large brush-like rooting structures attributed to Sabalites longirhachis palms. Our results show that, at the beginning of the Maasrichtian, cheirolepidiacean conifers were still significant peat-producing plants, although, unlike analogous Lower Cretaceous ones, they shared this role with rare angiosperms, such as palms.

A recent publication of fossil bones of titanosaurs assigned to Aeolosaurini from the Morro do Cambambe site (Mato Grosso state, Brazil, Upper Cretaceous) reported anomalous growth in some of them. Here, we present osteohistological sections of elements to understand not only the microstructure and growth of such bones, but also the nature of those anomalies. Among them, we selected one cervical and one mediumposterior dorsal rib, and a haemal arch. The primary bone of all specimens consisted of a variation of the fibrolamellar complex, with the inner cortex being rich in woven bone with dispersed longitudinal canals, while the outer cortex was parallel-fibred with rows of longitudinal canals, interlayered by Lines of Arrested Growth. We identified a maximum of two Lines of Arrested Growth in the cervical rib and haemal arch, and four in the dorsal rib. The haemal arch shows an External Fundamental System in most sections. The advanced remodelling and variation of the fibrolamellar bone in the cortex suggests that all the specimens represent individuals that reached sexual maturity. However, the haemal arch was distinct due to the wide distribution of External Fundamental System. Based on the microstructure, we identified a subadult semaphoront, and probably an adult. The dorsal rib exhibited periosteal and endosteal outgrowth. Such microstructure was assigned to a reactive bone due to an intra-thoracic infection (a pneumonia, probably related to a tuberculosis), which is the first report in a non-avian dinosaur. The microstructure resembles the medullary bone recovered in dinosaurs, which suggests that further studies of medullary bone in thoracic bones should also regard the pathological cases. En una reciente publicación de los huesos fósiles de titanosaurios asignados al clado Aeolosaurini provenientes del yacimiento de Morro do Cambambe (estado de Mato Grosso, Brasil, Cretácico Superior), se reconocieron anormalidades en el crecimiento de algunos de ellos. En el presente trabajo presentamos cortes osteohistológicos de elementos para entender no sólo la microestructura y crecimiento de los mismos, sino también la naturaleza de aquellas anomalías. Entre ellos, seleccionamos una costilla cervical y una costilla dorsal media posterior, así como un arco hemal. El hueso primario de todos los especímenes comprendía una variación del complejo fibrolamelar, siendo la corteza interna rica en tejido reticular óseo con canales longitudinales dispersos, mientras que la corteza externa tenía fibras paralelas con hileras de canales longitudinales, intercaladas por líneas de crecimiento detenido. Identificamos un máximo de dos líneas de crecimiento detenido tanto en la costilla cervical como en el arco hemal, y cuatro en la costilla dorsal. El arco hemal muestra un Sistema Externo Fundamental en la mayoría de las secciones. La remodelación avanzada y la variación del hueso fibrolamelar en la corteza, se sugiere que todas los especímenes alcanzaron la madurez sexual. Sin embargo, el arco hemal fue distinto debido a la amplia distribución de Sistema Externo Fundamental. Con base en la microestructura, identificamos un semaforonte subadulto, y probablemente a un adulto. La costilla dorsal mostró una excrecencia perióstica y endosteal. Dicha microestructura se ha identificado con un hueso reactivo a una infección intratorácica (una neumonía, probablemente relacionada con una tuberculosis), que es el primer informe de un dinosaurio no aviano. La microestructura se asemeja al hueso medular recuperado en los dinosaurios, lo que sugiere que los estudios posteriores del hueso medular en los huesos torácicos también deberían considerar los casos patológicos.

The predaceous beetle family Thanerocleridae is one of the smallest families of Cleroidea. It comprises only 36 extant species widespread on all continents. Three more species have been described from Cretaceous ambers of Myanmar and France. The fourth fossil representative of Thanerocleridae is described herein. Thanerosus antiquus gen. and sp. nov. is based on one fossil specimen preserved in an amber piece from Upper Cretaceous Kachin amber. The holotype was imaged using an X-ray micro-CT system to obtain high-quality 3D images. A phylogenetic analysis based on 33 morphological characters supports the placement of the new genus at the basal position in a tree of Thanerocleridae, in the vicinity of extant Zenodosus Wolcott and three extinct Mesozoic genera with which the new fossil shares open procoxal and mesocoxal cavities and transverse procoxae. We offer here a key to all extant and extinct genera in the family together with a complete list of all valid thaneroclerid taxa.

The aesthetic properties of ornamental stones, including colour, texture, and the presence or absence of discontinuities, are influential in their use and marketing. This is particularly critical in brecciated rocks such as the Marrón Emperador (ME) ornamental stone, a dark brown breccia dolostone (Upper Cretaceous, southeast Spain). ME shows a high chromatic and textural variability, which is one of its most appreciated commercial features. Through a petrographic, mineralogical, geochemical and colourimetric study of samples obtained from quarries, outcrops and/or drilling cores, several quality categories have been established, as well as the relationship between the aesthetic properties of ME ornamental stone with its compositional and textural factors. Three main types of breccia constitute the ME exploitable lithotect: crackle and mosaic packbreccias, and rubble floatbreccias. Breccia clasts are mainly composed of hypidiotopic-idiotopic medium- to coarsely-crystalline dolosparites, microcrystalline dolosparites and dolomicrites. Results show that diagenetic processes are mainly responsible for the colour of ME dolostones, revealing that the Sr content is a key factor. The darker brown dolomites always show a higher Sr content, where other typical chromophore elements in dolomites, such as Fe and Mn, do not present this correlation. This study provides evidence for the complexity of processes and factors that are responsible for aesthetic quality features in ornamental stones.

The mesoeucrocodylian record from the Bauru Group (Paraná Basin, Brazil) comes from three formations: Adamantina (Late Turonian–Early Maastrichtian), Presidente Prudente (Early Campanian–Early Maastrichtian) and Marília (Maastrichtian). These records are restricted to the Early Coniacian–Early Maastrichtian. Here, we report a new crocodyliform record from the Bauru Group, which was the first of the Araçatuba Formation, from a new locality of Coronel Goulart district, in Álvares Machado municipality. Coronelsuchus civali gen. nov. et sp. nov. comprises two related specimens - FFP PG 13 and FFP PG 14 recovered close to each other and on the same muddy sandstone level. We perform a phylogenetic analysis with 392 characters (five new added) and 88 taxa. Our analyses supported the new clades: Sphagesauria, Sphagesaurinae and Caipirasuchinae. Our phylogenetic results suggest C. civali as a basal Sphagesauria. Regarding the Crocodyliform Assemblage Zones (CAZ), the new species is correlated to the CAZ 1, together with small sphagesaurians, Caryonosuchus and itasuchids. The C. civali reveals an older appearing (pre-Turonian) and diversification of Sphagesauria. The specimens also expand the stratigraphic range for Notosuchia in the Bauru Group.

The Upper Cretaceous (upper Cenomanian-middle Turonian) Akrabou Formation of Asfla, southeast Morocco is renowned for exceptionally preserved, often three-dimensional bony and cartilaginous fish fossils. Teleosts, rare holosteans and chondrichthyans are well known from the so-called 'Goulmima ichthyological assemblage', however pycnodonts (Actinopterygii, Pycnodontiformes) have received scant attention and remain undescribed until now. Five nominal species are recognised in the assemblage, including two new forms: Neomesturus asflaensis gen. et sp. nov. and Paranursallia cavini sp. nov. The Italian genus Polazzodus is reported in Morocco for the first time. Specimen taphonomy is examined in the context of substrate consistency and oxygenation of an outer shelf carbonate platform setting. Diversity and ecological disparity of the Goulmima assemblage is revised in regard to trophic partitioning with durophagy seemingly more diverse than previously recognised. Comparisons with other pycnodont-bearing horizons of similar age demonstrate strong faunal affinities between the Asfla pycnodonts and those in the western Tethys and South Atlantic.

The fossil record of basal paravians in Gondwana is still poorly known, being limited to the Cretaceous unenlagiids from South America and the problematic Rahonavis from Madagascar. Here we report on a new paravian from the Cenomanian-Turonian (Late Cretaceous) of Río Negro province, NW Patagonia, Argentina. The new taxon exhibits a derived bird-like morphology of the forelimbs (e.g., robust ulna with prominent, anteriorly oriented, and proximally saddle-shaped radial cotyle and wide medial flange on metacarpal I) and a plesiomorphic foot with a raptorial pedal digit II. Phylogenetic analysis recovers the new taxon in a monophyletic clade with Rahonavis, being the sister group of the remaining Avialae and more derived than other non-avian dinosaurs. Both exhibit derived forelimb traits in opposition with their plesiomorphic hind limbs. The position of the new taxon and Rahonavis as stem avialans indicates that Gondwanan basal paravians are represented by two different clades, at least. The new taxon probably constitutes a previously unknown grade in the avian-line theropods in which some flight-related adaptations of the forelimbs are present in cursorial taxa. The present discovery sheds light on the acquisition of flight-related traits in non-avian dinosaurs and on the still poorly known paravian radiation in Gondwana. Fil: Motta, Matias Javier. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia"; Argentina Fil: Agnolin, Federico. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia"; Argentina. Fundación de Historia Natural Félix de Azara; Argentina Fil: Brissón Egli, Federico. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia"; Argentina Fil: Novas, Fernando Emilio. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia"; Argentina

Field investigation, Microfacies analysis, and biostratigraphy have been carried out in the central parts of the Ionian Basin (Aetoloakarnania area, Western Greece) in order to decipher the depositional environments that developed during the accumulation of the Upper Cretaceous to Eocene carbonate succession. Three different Standard Microfacies types (SMF) have been observed, corresponding to two different depositional environments (Facies Zones or FZ) of a platform progradation. The three SMF types which occur in the study area during the Upper Cretaceous to Eocene are: 1. SMF 3 that includes mudstone/wackestone with planktic foraminifera and radiolaria, corresponding to toe-of-slope (FZ: 3), 2. SMF 4, which can be classified as polymict clast-supported microbreccia, indicating a toe-of-slope-slope environment (FZ: 4) and 3. SMF 5 which is characterized by allochthonous bioclastic breccia and components deriving from adjacent platforms and which reflects a slope environment. Microfacies analysis provided evidence of a change in the origin of sedimentary components and biota showing the transition from toe-of-slope to slope, as well as a change in organism distribution.

We identified six fossil-species of angiosperms based on fossil woods from two small collections from the Beta Member (lower Campanian) of the Santa Marta Formation on James Ross Island: 1) Paraphyllanthoxylon antarcticum sp. nov., a new species of Paraphyllanthoxylon (Angiosperm incertae sedis) which represents the first Antarctic record of that fossil-genus; three previously known Antarctic fossil-species, but from new localities, 2) Laurelites jamesrossii (Laurales), 3) Hedycaryoxylon tambourissoides (Monimiaceae) and 4) Eucryphiaceoxylon eucryphioides (Cunoniaceae); 5) Weinmannioxylon trichospermoides sp. nov., a new species of Weinmannioxylon (Cunoniaceae); 6) and Cretaceoxylon heteropunctatum gen. et sp. nov., a new fossil-genus and fossil-species with uncertain affinity, but with similar wood anatomy and vessel-ray parenchyma pits to the Santalales and Malpighiales. The richness of angiosperm woody species is increased for the Late Cretaceous of Antarctica. The fossil woods are used to interpret ancient forests composition and to make some climatic inferences during the Campanian of the Antarctic Peninsula. Fil: Pujana, Roberto Roman. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales “Bernardino Rivadavia”; Argentina Fil: Iglesias, Ari. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Patagonia Norte. Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente. Universidad Nacional del Comahue. Centro Regional Universidad Bariloche. Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente; Argentina Fil: Raffi, María Eugenia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Austral de Investigaciones Científicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Tierra del Fuego. Instituto de Ciencias Polares, Recursos Naturales y Ambiente; Argentina Fil: Olivero, Eduardo Bernardo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Austral de Investigaciones Científicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Tierra del Fuego. Instituto de Ciencias Polares, Recursos Naturales y Ambiente; Argentina

International audience; Three new localities yielding fossiliferous flints are reported from the Châtellerault area (Vienne, western France). They include one archaeological site (La Grande Vallée) and two zones with alterite deposits (L’Aunas and Les Bariollières). Broken surfaces of flint nodules show co-occurrence of marine invertebrates such as bryozoans, echinoids (Micraster Agassiz, Orthopsis Cotteau), gastropods (Acteonella d’Orbigny), rudists, and sponges. The association of Acteonella, Micraster and Orthopsis confirms the Turonian age (Upper Cretaceous) of the fossil assemblage. The marine invertebrates co-occur with plant macroremains including fragments of conifer leafy axes such as Brachyphyllum? Brongn., Frenelopsis (Schenk) emend. J. Watson and Geinitzia Endl., as well as fragments of angiosperm leaves. Plant remains are preserved as siliceous permineralizations, showing the gross morphology and all tissues in three dimensions. The fossil assemblage suggests that sediments were deposited proximally along the shoreline in shallow environment influenced by both continental and marine inputs. This coastal area was close to a conifer-dominated forest ecosystem, Geinitzia being probably one of the main components of the flora.; Trois nouvelles localités livrant des silex fossilifères sont signalées dans le secteur de Châtellerault (Vienne, Ouest de la France). Elles incluent un site archéologique (La Grande Vallée) et deux zones à dépôts d’altérites (L’Aunas and Les Bariollières). Les surfaces brisées des nodules de silex montrent une co-occurrence d’invertébrés marins tels que des bryozoaires, des échinides (Micraster Agassiz, Orthopsis Cotteau), des éponges, des gastéropodes (Acteonella d’Orbigny) et des rudistes. L’association d’Acteonella, de Micraster et d'Orthopsis confirme l’âge Turonien (Crétacé supérieur) de l’assemblage fossile. Aux invertébrés marins s’ajoutent des macrorestes végétaux, qui correspondent à des fragments d’axes feuillés de conifères, dont Brachyphyllum ? Brongn., Frenelopsis (Schenk) emend. J. Watson et Geinitzia Endl., ainsi que des fragments de feuilles d’angiospermes. Les restes de plantes sont préservés sous forme de perminéralisations siliceuses, montrant une préservation en trois dimensions de la morphologie générale et des tissus. L’assemblage fossile suggère que les sédiments ont été déposés le long d’une côte, dans un environnement proximal peu profond, influencé à la fois par des apports marins et terrestres. Cette zone côtière était proche d’un écosystème forestier à conifères, où Geinitzia était probablement une des composantes principales de la flore.

A sedimentological-architectural review, and a palaeohydrological study was performed in a 380 m thick succession of the Bajo Barreal Formation (Upper Cretaceous) in the Cerro Ballena anticline, Golfo San Jorge Basin, Patagonia. The studied exposure shows, at the base, isolated sandstone channel belts of small scale and low connectivity within siliciclastic floodplain strata (Section A, 185 m thick). It changes upwards into sheet-like, sandstone channel fills with larger interconnectivity that form channel-belt complexes intercalated with thinner floodplain fines of volcaniclastic origin (Section B, 195 m thick). The succession contains seventeen lithofacies and twelve architectural elements that provide information on the alluvial organization of channel and overbank deposits. Palaeoflow data of 218 fluvial channels (Az. 187°; n = 3777) indicate the presence of a depocenter located southward. Seven fluvial styles were identified: 1) multistorey bodies dominated by downstream accretion, 2) multilateral, broad sheets dominated by downstream accretion, 3) narrow sheets dominated by lateral accretion, 4) ribbon or sheet-like bodies infilled by resedimented volcaniclastics, 5) ribbon-shaped fixed channels with attached splays, 6) unconfined, isolated sheet complexes, and 7) unconfined, moderately amalgamated sheet complexes. The variable geometry and style of palaeo-rivers in coeval levels, and dominance of avulsion deposits support that the fluvial system was anabranching, and locally anastomosed. Using palaeohydrological parameters estimated from cross-bed set thickness, a climatic shift toward wetter and more humid climatic conditions from Section A to Section B was demonstrated. We find support to assess the climate as the main external forcing factor on the alluvial organization and stacking density of the Bajo Barreal Formation. Fil: Paredes, José Matildo. Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia "San Juan Bosco"; Argentina Fil: Foix, Nicolas. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia "San Juan Bosco"; Argentina Fil: Allard, Jose Oscar. Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia "San Juan Bosco"; Argentina Fil: Valle, Mauro Nicolás. Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia "San Juan Bosco"; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina Fil: Giordano, Sergio Roberto. Sinopec Argentina Exploration And Production, Inc.; Argentina

The Coniacian quartz sandstones (Żerkowice Member, Rakowice Wielkie Formation) that crop out at quarries near Czaple-Nowa Wieś Grodziska (North Sudetic Synclinorium) contain a low-diversity assemblage of trace fossils: Gyrochorte isp., Ophiomorpha nodosaLundgren, 1891, Ophiomorpha isp., Phycodes cf. curvipalmatum (Pollard, 1981), ?Phycodes isp., Planolites cf. beverleyensis (Billings, 1862), Thalassinoides paradoxicusWoodward, 1830 and ?Thalassinoides isp. Moreover, interesting compound burrow systems, here referred to as Thalassinoides-Phycodes cf. palmatus and ?Thalassinoides-Phycodes, were recognised at the Czaple Quarry. Additionally, ?Gyrochorte isp., Phycodes cf. flabellum (Miller and Dyer, 1878) and ?Treptichnus isp. were encountered at correlative levels in the Rakowice Małe Quarry. Some of these ichnotaxa have not been recorded previously from Coniacian sandstones of the Żerkowice Member. Additionally, in slabs of these sandstones, the gastropod Nerinea bicinctaBronn, 1836 and the bivalve Lima haidingeriZittel, 1866 were found. These interesting finds, in particular the gastropods, were already noted from the study area in the first half of the twentieth century by Scupin (1912–1913). Ethologically, the trace fossil assemblage is represented by domichnia or domichnia/fodinichnia (Ophiomorpha, Thalassinoides), fodinichnia (Phycodes) and pascichnia (Gyrochorte, Planolites). The compound burrow systems (Thalassinoides-Phycodes) are interpreted as dwelling/feeding structures. The possible tracemakers are crustaceans (Ophiomorpha, Thalassinoides) or worm-like animals (annelids and other) (Planolites, ?Phycodes, Gyrochorte and ?Treptichnus). The assemblage of trace fossils is characteristic of the Skolithos ichnofacies and Cruziana ichnofacies, typical of shallow-marine settings. Ichnological studies, as well as the presence of accompanying fossils (bivalves, gastropods), confirm the palaeoenvironmental reconstruction of the Żerkowice Member sandstones by Leszczyński (2010). That author interpreted the Coniacian sandstones as bar and storm deposits laid down in a shallow epicontinental sea (mainly the foreshore-upper shoreface; up to the middle shoreface) under normal oxygenation and salinity, in soft substrate, above fair-weather wave base. The deposition of the Żerkowice Member sandstones is linked to a regression that started after uplift of the southeastern part of the North Sudetic Synclinorium.

Notosuchus terrestris was the first notosuchian described worldwide and the most abundant crocodyliform species in Gondwana during the Late Cretaceous. Here, the lectotype and more than 60 complete and fragmentary specimens were studied allowing the most detailed description of the cranio-mandibular anatomy of this taxon, including poorly known regions as the braincase. Thirty-fourth characters were described and confirmed by the first time for Notosuchus. Possible autapomorphies include: frontal with olfactory tract groove convex posteriorly and with well marked furrows for laterosphenoid, small premaxillary knob fits a maxillary notch in the palate adjacent to the toothrow, small bilobate trigeminal fossa with grooves for the branches the CN Vso, CN V2 and CN V3, parietal and laterosphenoid highly pneumatic, post-temporal fenestra obliterated, presence of vestigial quadratojugal spine, ascending process of quadratojugal with posterior groove, vomer lateromedially broad, incisive foramen in heart-shaped delimited by premaxillae and maxillae, and choana with narrow pterygoid septum. We propose a crista pseudo-tuberalis separating the occiput from the braincase wall, as present in some notosuchians. Contrary to previous work, the carotid foramen and the metotic foramen open within a fossa lateral to the occipital condyle, a common feature in advanced notosuchians. Fil: Barrios, Francisco. Provincia de Neuquén. Ministerio de Energía, Ambiente y Servicios Públicos. Dirección Provincial de Minería. Museo Provincial de Ciencias Naturales Prof. ; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina Fil: Bona, Paula. Universidad Nacional de la Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. División Paleontología Vertebrados; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina Fil: Paulina Carabajal, Ariana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Patagonia Norte. Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente. Universidad Nacional del Comahue. Centro Regional Universidad Bariloche. Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente; Argentina Fil: Brandoni, Zulma Nelida. Universidad Nacional de la Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. División Paleontología Vertebrados; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina

Purpose: New sauropod remains (MCF-PVPH-889, MCF-PVPH-899, and MCF-PVPH-900) collected from the Plottier Fm (Coniacian–Santonian) in the south-west of the Neuquén Basin, are here reported. The materials proceed from a fluvial outcrop composed by siltstone and fine sandstone, whose fossil record is known for large-sized sauropod taxa. Methods: Due to the fragmentary condition of the dorsal ribs and the tibia, we focus the description mainly on the femur and the fibula. Results: The specimen MCF-PVPH-889 consists of partially associated postcranial elements represented by a left femur and three fragmentary dorsal ribs of a Titanosauria indet. A right fibula (MCF-PVPH-900) represents another titanosaurian element, while a proximal portion of a right tibia (MCF-PVPH-899) of a smaller individual than others is here referred to as a Sauropoda indet. MCF-PVPH-889 and MCF-PVPH-900 share some features with other titanosaurian taxa (e.g., a femur with medial deflection of the proximal end and elliptical mid-shaft cross-section, a fibula with slightly sigmoidal shaft and well-developed lateral tuberosity) like in Epachthosaurus and Antarctosaurus. However, the femur, with a poorly developed lateral bulge and a relatively low head, and a fibula, with a slender and nearly straight proximal third of the shaft, represent plesiomorphic conditions among titanosaurians. Conclusions: The new remains represent a new sauropod record from the Plottier Fm (Upper Cretaceous). Nevertheless, due to the lack of more diagnostic elements, we prefer to consider the specimens MCF-PVPH-889 and MCF-PVPH-900 as Titanosauria indet, and the MCF-PVPH-899 as Sauropoda indet. This new evidence expands the Coniacian sauropod record of the Neuquén Basin and contributes, in some measure, to our knowledge of the stratigraphical distribution of sauropods from the Patagonian Upper Cretaceous fossil-bearing levels. Fil: Bellardini, Flavio. Provincia del Neuquén. Municipalidad de Plaza Huincul. Museo "Carmen Funes"; Argentina. Dirección Provincial de Patrimonio Cultural. Subsecretaría de Cultura; Argentina Fil: Baiano, Mattia Antonio. Provincia del Neuquén. Municipalidad de Plaza Huincul. Museo "Carmen Funes"; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Patagonia Norte. Instituto de Investigación en Paleobiología y Geología; Argentina Fil: Barrios, Francisco. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Patagonia Norte. Instituto de Investigación en Paleobiología y Geología; Argentina. Provincia de Neuquén. Ministerio de Energía, Ambiente y Servicios Públicos. Dirección Provincial de Minería. Museo Provincial de Ciencias Naturales Prof. "Dr. Juan A. Olsacher"; Argentina Fil: Holgado Palacios, Borja. Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro; Brasil Fil: Coria, Rodolfo Anibal. Provincia del Neuquén. Municipalidad de Plaza Huincul. Museo "Carmen Funes"; Argentina. Dirección Provincial de Patrimonio Cultural. Subsecretaría de Cultura; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Patagonia Norte. Instituto de Investigación en Paleobiología y Geología; Argentina

The Upper Cretaceous complex in the central part of the Carpathian Foreland (southern Poland) is relatively poorly recognized and described. Its formations can be classified as unconventional reservoir due to poor reservoir properties as well as a low recovery factor. The main aim of the article is to expand knowledge with conclusions resulting from the analysis of the latest seismic data with the application of seismic sequence stratigraphy. Moreover, the seismic attributes analysis was utilized. The depositional architecture recognition based on both chronostratigraphic horizons and Wheeler diagram interpretations was of paramount importance. A further result was the possibility of using the chronostratigraphic image for tectonostratigraphic interpretation. Two distinguished tectonostratigraphic units corresponding to megasequences were recognized. A tectonic setting of the analyzed interval is associated with global processes noticed by other authors in other parts of the central European Late Cretaceous basin, but also locally accompanied by evidence of small-scale tectonics. This study fills the gap on the issue of paleogeography in the Late Cretaceous sedimentary basin of the Carpathian Foreland. It presents the first results of detailed reconstruction of the basin paleogeography and an attempt to determine the impact of both eustatic and tectonic factors on sedimentation processes.

Planktonic foraminiferal biostratigraphy and isotope stratigraphy analyses of Turonian-Maastrichtian deposits have been carried out in the western part of the Kopet-Dagh Basin. The identification of the planktonic foraminiferal assemblages has led to the recognition of twelve Upper Cretaceous zones (Helvetoglobotruncana helvetica Zone to the Contusotruncana contusa-Abathomphalus mayaroensis zone) from the Tethyan realm. The obtained stable carbon isotope profile correlates with other reference curves, revealing many Late Cretaceous events including the Hitchwood, Navigation, Light Point, East Cliff, White Fall, Late Campanian Event (LCE), Campanian-Maastrichtian Boundary Event (CMBE), Middle Maastrichtian Event (MME) and KPg Events (KPgE). The Turonian-Maastrichtian deposits of the studied area represent severe changes in sedimentation rate and several hiatuses and condensed intervals, which mostly coincide with lithological boundaries. The data indicate a general shallowing -upwards in association with the Late Cretaceous tectonics of the Kopet-Dagh Basin. The reconstruction of the age model allows a discussion of the results in terms of changes in palaeoenvironmental conditions (eutrophic vs. oligotrophic).

Altres ajuts: acords transformatius de la UAB Analysis of seventy published papers dealing with Mexican Upper Cretaceous rudists, together with consultation of the newest geological maps covering the areas with mentioned rudist fossil localities, evidenced that: a) several among the Turonian-Maastrichtian species mentioned are junior synonymies, nomen nudum, insufficiently described, or have untraceable types. According to modern standards, around sixty species seem acceptable, Antillocaprinidae (12), Hippuritidae (11), Plagioptychidae (9), and Radiolitidae (27). Only three species (Turonian) are common with Eurasia. All the Santonian-Maastrichtian rudists (54) are exclusively American species, either ascribed to Eurasian (9) or to American (21) genera. b) Research on rudists helped to improve the stratigraphy in some areas, and to point out or clear up some geological issues in others. c) The restudy of the geology in some areas, of some rudist collections in museums, and of some rudist groups, are much necessary and must be undertaken.

Conifer fossil woods from the Santonian to lower Campanian Santa Marta Formation are anatomically studied in detail. The wood flora is dominated by conifers, mainly Araucariaceae. Conifer fossil woods represent 84% of the samples (26 of 31) of the assemblage. The remaining samples are dicotyledon woods which are not included in this study. Woods are mostly calcified and preservation is often excellent. Fossil woods include three species of Agathoxylon, Phyllocladoxylon antarcticum, Cupressinoxylon hallei and a new species of Cupressinoxylon, C. rotundum Pujana sp. nov. The conifer-dominated forests are consistent with the pollen and macrofloras previously described from sediments of the same stratigraphic unit. This fossil wood assemblage contributes to understand the floristic changes that took place in the Cretaceous forests. Fil: Pujana, Roberto Roman. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales “Bernardino Rivadavia”; Argentina Fil: Raffi, María Eugenia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Austral de Investigaciones Científicas; Argentina Fil: Olivero, Eduardo Bernardo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Austral de Investigaciones Científicas; Argentina

Mato Grosso State is the main area of paleontological investigations in central Brazil, especially regarding Upper Cretaceous beds. Fossil collection in the surroundings of the Morro do Cambambe started as early as late nineteenth century, but prospections and studies are still ongoing. This contribution presents new dinosaur specimens recovered from Upper Cretaceous outcrops of the southeastern portion of Mato Grosso State. These remains enabled the first report of a megaraptoran theropod based on a vertebral centrum and the description of abelisaurid (a fragmentary tooth) and titanosaur remains (a tooth and a fragment of a dorsal vertebra). Based on the amount of compiled reports of tetrapod remains from Mato Grosso, mainly from meeting abstracts and technical reports, the evidence at hand indicates a diverse Upper Cretaceous tetrapod assemblage still poorly explored in comparison to other Upper Cretaceous units of Brazil and Gondwana, in general. Fil: Sales, Marcos A. F.. Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul; Brasil Fil: Martinelli, Agustín Guillermo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul; Brasil Fil: Francischini, Heitor. Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul; Brasil Fil: Rubert, Rogério R.. Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul; Brasil Fil: Marconato, Leonardo P.. Centro Universitário FIEO; Brasil Fil: Soares, Marina B.. Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul; Brasil Fil: Schultz, Cesar L.. Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul; Brasil

In a unique middle Campanian horizon at Rzezuśnia, southern Poland, the trace fossil Chondrites occurs densely and preferentially on the lower side of horizontally oriented ammonite moulds but it is absent in the surrounding sediment and on the upper side of the moulds. The ammonite shells created an ideal microenvironment for the Chondrites trace maker, with a higher organic matter content and shallower redox boundary than in the sediment outside the shells. Detailed microscopic (microfacies, SEM, CL and XRD) analyses revealed different taphonomic histories of shell for the upper and lower side of the ammonite specimens. Probably, the chemosymbiotic worm-like trace maker uses the burrow tunnels for pumping the hydrogen sulfide-rich water. This changes the pH of pore water only below the horizontally lying ammonite shells and enabled the aragonite dissolution. Slower rate of sedimentation in combination with downward migration of geochemical zones cause iron sulfide oxidation, calcite cement precipitation and glauconitization.

New rotaloidean foraminifera from the Upper Cretaceous shallow-water carbonates of Central and Southern Italy have been described, thus widening the knowledge on the Late Cretaceous rotaloidean foraminifera in the Central Tethyan realm. Rotorbinella lepina sp. nov., Rotalispira vitigliana sp. nov. and R. maxima sp. nov., belong to the family Rotaliidae (subfamilies Rotaliinae and Lockhartiinae, respectively). Pilatorotalia pignattii gen. nov. sp. nov. and Neorotalia? cretacea sp. nov. are placed in the family Pararotaliidae. Moreover, further studies are carried out on the associated Rotalispira scarsellai and “ Stensioeina ” surrentina . The age assignment of these rotaloideans has been calibrated by means of strontium isotope stratigraphy to late Santonian?-middle Campanian.

A new genus and species of panchelid turtle (Mendozachelys wichmanni gen. et sp. nov.) from the upper Campanian–lower Maastrichtian Loncoche Formation (southern Mendoza Province, Argentina) is described here. This species is represented by only one complete and articulated large specimen (carapace length estimated in 950 mm) that was recovered from tidal flat deposits. A detailed morphological and osteohistological description is made, recognizing autapomorphic characters that allow differentiating this taxon from the rest of extant and extinct panchelids. Osteohistological characters suggest an aquatic to semi-aquatic life style for Mendozachelys wichmanni gen. et sp. nov. Phylogenetic analysis based on morphological data suggested that this new taxon is nested within crown Chelidae. Both phylogenetic signals (morphological and molecular) about the assessment of long-necked chelids monophyly or polyphyly are discussed. Fil: de la Fuente, Marcelo Saul. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales. Museo de Historia Natural de San Rafael - Ianigla | Provincia de Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales. Museo de Historia Natural de San Rafael - Ianigla | Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales. Museo de Historia Natural de San Rafael - Ianigla; Argentina Fil: Maniel, Ignacio Jorge. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales. Museo de Historia Natural de San Rafael - Ianigla | Provincia de Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales. Museo de Historia Natural de San Rafael - Ianigla | Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales. Museo de Historia Natural de San Rafael - Ianigla; Argentina Fil: Jannello, Juan Marcos. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales. Museo de Historia Natural de San Rafael - Ianigla | Provincia de Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales. Museo de Historia Natural de San Rafael - Ianigla | Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales. Museo de Historia Natural de San Rafael - Ianigla; Argentina Fil: Sterli, Juliana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Museo Paleontológico Egidio Feruglio; Argentina Fil: Gonzalez Riga, Bernardo Javier. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales; Argentina Fil: Novas, Fernando Emilio. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales “Bernardino Rivadavia”; Argentina

The elasmosaurid Fresnosaurus drescheri, Welles from the contact between the Tierra Loma/Marca members of the Moreno Formation (Maastrichtian), California, USA is reviewed. Most of the features included in Welles's original diagnosis are considered related only to the juvenile ontogenetic stage of the holotype and only specimen. The new diagnosis is based on diagnostic characters of the ilia, including long rectangular shaped sacral facets located in the dorsal part of the shaft, two gentle knobs in the shafts and unexpanded dorsal end. Additional material from the Moreno Formation (numbered under the same number as the F. drescheri holotype but not mentioned by Welles and therefore considered part of a different specimen) are described for the first time. The latter are referred to the aristonectine, being the first evidence of aristonectines from the North Hemisphere. Fil: O'gorman, Jose Patricio. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. División Paleontología Vertebrados; Argentina

The Upper Cretaceous (early Cenomanian) Bahariya Formation of Egypt has an outstanding reputation for its wealth of vertebrate remains, including a variety of iconic dinosaurs, like the carnivorous Spinosaurus and Carcharodontosaurus, as well as the herbivorous Aegyptosaurus and Paralititan. Besides these dinosaur fossils, the Bahariya Formation yielded also a wealth of invertebrate and plant remains, but even today many aspects concerning the continental palaeoenvironments reflected in these deposits (including the occurrence of palaeo-wildfires) have not been studied in detail. So far six distinct macro-charcoal bearing levels could be identified within the type section of the Bahariya Formation at Gabal El Dist profile, one of the most prolific outcrops of this formation in terms of fossil occurrence located in the north of the Bahariya Oasis, Western Desert, Egypt. Most of the charcoal investigated by means of SEM originates from ferns, pointing to a considerable proportion of this plant group within the palaeo-ecosystems that experienced fires. Gymnosperms and (putative) angiosperms have less frequently been identified. The collected data present evidence that the landscapes at the northern shores of Gondwana repeatedly experienced palaeo-wildfires, adding extra proof to previous statements that the Late Cretaceous was a fiery world on a global scale.

Agradecimentos: The authors would like to thank FAPESP (Project 2012/23209-0) and CNPq (Universal 4742272013-8) for having financed this study. We are grateful to Wiliam Nava, director of the Marília Museum, whose discussion in the field has been fecund for our ideas. Claiton Scherer and an anonymous referee were determinant to improve the original manuscript Abstract: Fernandes and Ribeiro (2015) described the evolutive history of the Bauru Basin in a clear and simple way, synthesising the research activity of the last 20 years. Sedimentological and stratigraphic data reflect the research activity of the senior author, whereas palaeontological information is a synthesis of data from literature. We do not believe that the evolutive history of the sedimentary succession of the Bauru Basin is as simple as described by the cited authors, but that other hypotheses, which are in strong contrast with the history considered in this article, exist. We exposed six main critical points in the model that Fernandes and Ribeiro (2015) presented. Each argument is presented and an alternative hypothesis is expressed. The criticisms are related to (1) the depositional interpretations of the Araçatuba Formation, (2) Vale do Rio do Peixe Formation and Echaporã Member, (3) the homogeneity and distribution of the Marília Formation, (4) the climate change in Bauru Group, (5) the inappropriate use of palaeosols and (6) some palaeontological misconceptions. The objective of this comment is to raise a discussion showing to the readers that the stratigraphy and depositional history of the Bauru Basin are far more complex than that presented by Fernandes and Ribeiro (2015) and to show important alternative hypotheses not even mentioned by these authors FUNDAÇÃO DE AMPARO À PESQUISA DO ESTADO DE SÃO PAULO - FAPESP CONSELHO NACIONAL DE DESENVOLVIMENTO CIENTÍFICO E TECNOLÓGICO - CNPQ Fechado

We describe a dentary of a new titanosaur sauropod, Baalsaurus mansillai, gen. et sp. nov. from the Late Cretaceous of Patagonia, Argentina. The material comes from the Portezuelo Formation, Neuquén Group. Titanosaur sauropods lower jaws are scarce and only nine taxa with dentaries have been described. There are two types of morphology in titanosaur dentaries; “L” shaped or “U” shaped based on the shape, without a phylogenetic issue. In this paper; we recognize a new taxa, Baalsaurus mansillai, represented by an “L” shaped dentary with three apomorphic characters that are not present in other taxa: dentary alveoli with 10 teeth in the anterior ramus, a ventrally and anteriorly inclined symphysis and a wide ventral Meckelian groove surrounded by a thin lamina that forms a keel on the ventral border of the dentary. Fil: Calvo, Jorge Orlando. Parque Natural Geo-Paleontológico Proyecto Dino.Grupo de Transferencia Proyecto Dino; Argentina. Universidad Nacional del Comahue. Facultad de Ingeniería. Departamento de Geología y Petróleo; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de La Pampa; Argentina Fil: Gonzalez Riga, Bernardo Javier. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales; Argentina

The Upper Cretaceous rudist limestones are well-known from several localities in Serbia. Three of these localities (Svilanovo, Bele Vode and Kulizino Selo) are located in SW Serbia, on Golija Mt. These localities are crucial for understanding the development of the Upper Cretaceous shallow-water environments, thus this is an area of great scientific and educational value, particularly considering palaeontology, stratigraphy, palaeoecology and palaeogeography. One of the aims of this paper is to evaluate these geosites and their geotouristic potential, using Geosite Assessment Model (GAM), which is important for their geoconservation as well as for the sustainable development of the area.

The marine continuity after the Early Cretaceous implies an essential difference with the condition in the orogenic belt with a N-S trend of the Patagonian Cordillera. But this important difference does not avoid the matter concerning if these Late Cretaceous layers have been in fact involved in the same folding complexity as the Early Cretaceous ones, with slight metamorphism. The available information results, at present, not complete enough to adjust a formational definition. Fil: Acevedo, Rogelio Daniel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Austral de Investigaciones Científicas; Argentina

The new remains of Gaviiformes collected from the Maastrichtian Sandwich Bluff Member (López de Bertodano Formation in Vega Island), the Maastrichtian Klb 9 (López de Bertodano Formation in Seymour Island), the Maastrichtian Snow Hill Formation (Vega Island), and the Ypresian Submeseta Formation (Seymour Island), Antarctica, are described. A specialized foot-propelled diving morphology is already present in the Antarctic Polarornis gregorii, the Chilean Neogaeornis wetzelli and the new specimens here reported, suggesting that such diving skills were developed at least since the Upper Cretaceous. The occurrence of Gaviiformes in the Southern Hemisphere during the Upper Cretaceous-lower Eocene times is consistent with recent phylogenetic proposals relating this group to Sphenisciformes and Procellariiformes, birds already recorded in Antarctica. The fossil record also supports the idea that the hemisphere displacement observed in Gaviiformes could be a response to increasing competition for resources with Sphenisciformes. The phylogenetic proximity of penguins and loons plus their similar trophic behavior, suggest that competitive exclusion could have triggered the gaviiform migration to the Northern Hemisphere and explain their extinction from Southern continents. Fil: Acosta Hospitaleche, Carolina Ileana Alicia. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. División Paleontología Vertebrados; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina Fil: Gelfo, Javier Nicolás. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. División Paleontología Vertebrados; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina

Made available in DSpace on 2015-10-22T06:13:03Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2015-03-01 Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) A new Podocnemidinura specimen from the Upper Cretaceous Bauru Group (Parana Basin) of southeastern Brazil was described. The Bauru Group provided an important portrait of the Brazilian Mesozoic terrestrial biota, which boasts a vertebrate fauna formed from fishes, frogs, lacertilians, crocodyliforms, dinosaurs and mammals; records of palynomorphs; and invertebrate fauna consisted of gastropods, bivalves, ostracods and conchostracans. Nevertheless, the age of these continental deposits is not precisely estimated, which prevents global correlations, and its fauna is argued to be endemic. The new specimen described is the first turtle from the Santo Anastacio Formation, and its morphological comparison with other South American forms provided a significant advancement in the understanding of the age of this unit (Late Cretaceous). This study permitted a revision of the turtle taxa of the Bauru Group. As a result, some taxa were considered synonym, including the new Santo Anastacio form. The specimen is still unnamed due to the absence of skull characters that preclude its accurate positioning within the Bauru Group skull-based taxa. In addition, the phylogenetic affinities of this taxon were analyzed into Podocnemidinura clade. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. Univ Estadual Paulista, Inst Geosci &Exact Sci, BR-13506900 Rio Claro, SP, Brazil Univ Estadual Paulista, Inst Biosci Letters &Exact Sci, BR-15054000 Sho Jose Do Rio Preto, SP, Brazil Univ Estadual Paulista, Inst Geosci &Exact Sci, BR-13506900 Rio Claro, SP, Brazil Univ Estadual Paulista, Inst Biosci Letters &Exact Sci, BR-15054000 Sho Jose Do Rio Preto, SP, Brazil FAPESP: 2006/59587-7 CNPq: 401795/2010-1

Herein, we describe and name a new fossil genus and species, Aquaephyllum auriculatum, and report on the presence of Pandaniidites pollen grains from La Colonia Formation (Maastrichtian, Upper Cretaceous), Patagonia, Argentina. The new fossil taxon is based on leaf impressions and is morphologically similar to members of the family Araceae, subfamily Lemnoideae. The most important morphological characters comprise the adaxial venation with at least eight primary veins, the crenate margin, and the presence of an auricle with a floating function. Phylogenetic analysis places the new taxon in a close relationship within the subfamily Lemnoideae, which also includes the fossils Limnobiophyllum scutatum, Cobbania corrugata, and the extant Pistia stratiotes. Aquaephyllum auriculatum and Pandaniidites are the first fossil record of lemnaceous leaves and the oldest record for Pandaniidites pollen for the Southern Hemisphere respectively. The inclusion of Aquaephyllum and Pandaniidites within a phylogenetic context confirms the previously suggested hypothesis on the existence of close relationships between modern Pistia, and the fossils Limnobiophyllum and Cobbania. Fil: Gallego, Julieta. Cornell University; Estados Unidos. Museo Paleontológico Egidio Feruglio; Argentina. Agencia Nacional de Promoción Científica y Tecnológica; Argentina Fil: Gandolfo, María A.. Cornell University; Estados Unidos Fil: Cúneo, Néstor Rubén. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Museo Paleontológico Egidio Feruglio; Argentina Fil: Zamaloa, María del Carmen. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Departamento de Ecología, Genética y Evolución; Argentina

Herein, we report new fossil remains with marsileaceous affinity associated with dispersed microspores corresponding to Crybelosporites, different types of massulae of Salvianiaceae (Paleoazolla patagonica and Azolla circinata), and a single megaspore assigned to the fossil genus Grapnelispora. These fossils were recovered from the Late Cretaceous Loncoche Formation, at the Calmu-Co section, Malargu¨e Group, Northern Neuque´n Basin, Mendoza, Argentina. The macrofossils include scattered leaflets, rhizomes, roots, and a sporocarp-like structure. They share characters with members of the aquatic fern family Marsileaceae; however, based on the characters preserved, they could not be placed within any extant or fossil species; therefore, the fossils are better included within a new fossil-taxon, Mendozaphyllum loncochense. Dispersed spores of Crybelosporites pannuceus, also belonging to Marsileaceae, were recovered from the entire section. Additionally, abundant isolated massulae with affinity to the aquatic fern family Salviniaceae, and a single megaspore assigned to Grapnelispora loncochensis, were identified from the plant bearing layer. The presence of Marsileaceae fossils in the Campanian?Maastrichtian Loncoche Formation, Mendoza, extends towards the north the paleogeographical distribution of the family Marsileaceae in Argentina, since previous records are from Patagonia. A fluvial to deltaic environment with lacustrine episodes is suggested by the sedimentology of the lower and middle parts of the Calmu-Co section and supported by the abundant fresh water algae recovered from the palynological association. This was probably the optimum habitat for the growth of aquatic ferns related to Marsileaceae and Salviniaceae and explains its abundance in the studied sediments. Fil: Puebla, Gabriela Griselda. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales. Provincia de Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales; Argentina Fil: Pramparo, Mercedes Beatriz. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales. Provincia de Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales; Argentina Fil: Gandolfo, María A.. Cornell University; Estados Unidos

Crustacea (dynomenid crabs and cirripedes) from the upper Cenomanian-lower Turonian nearshore, shallow-water bioclastic limestones to marly siltstones found along the southern and eastern margins of the Bohemian Cretaceous Basin (BCB) are described. Crabs are rather rare in this area, and mostly restricted to fragmentary pereiopods, i.e., isolated claws or dactyli. In view of the confused taxonomy of isolated claws, their proper identity could not be determined; they were mostly referred to the necrocarcinid genus Necrocarcinus Bell, 1863. A recent re-examination of material deposited in the collections of the National Museum (Národní Muzeum, Prague), and of new finds, has revealed that all allegedly necrocarcinid pereiopods and nearly all carapaces from these shallow-water strata actually belong to the dynomenid Graptocarcinus Roemer, 1887 (carapaces) and the ‘form genus’ Roemerus Bishop, 1983 (isolated claws). Here we present a summary report of occurrence of these dynomenid genera in the BCB. Cirripedes are more abundant, yet all available material is in the form of disarticulated, isolated capitular plates, which is typical for almost all Mesozoic thoracicans. More than 400 capitular plates of stalked barnacles have been discovered in sieve residues during the last decade. A study of newly recovered specimens, together with a revision of material contained in m

En este trabajo se proporciona nueva información sedimentológica y fosildiagenética de restos de cuatro dinosaurios preservados en depósitos de diferentes subambientes fluviales de la sección media de la Formación Lago Colhué Huapi, en la Cuenca del Golfo San Jorge. En todos los casos, la estructura ósea originalmente constituida por hidroxiapatita fue modificada por sustitución iónica a francolita. Los restos fósiles contenidos en litoarenitas finas con alta participación de arcillas que sufrieron fuerte compactación, exhiben deformación plástica e intensa fracturación, que afectó la microestructura ósea. La francolita presenta una textura cavernosa con alto índice de cristalinidad y un menor contenido en carbonato que evidencia procesos de disolución del mineral en un medio ácido. La hematita presente externamente como costras y nódulos, e internamente en los bordes de los canales vasculares, se vincula a la precipitación de óxidos de hierro en zonas bien oxigenadas relacionadas con fluctuaciones del nivel freático. La permineralización de los canales vasculares con hematita, y con cristales bien desarrollados de fluorapatita de neoformación habría ocurrido durante la diagénesis temprana. En contraste, los restos fósiles contenidos en litoarenitas gruesas con escasas arcillas sufrieron menos compactación y están mejor preservados. En estos casos, la francolita presenta una textura maciza con menor índice de cristalinidad y mayor contenido en carbonato. La permineralización de los canales vasculares con hematita y con cristales bien desarrollados de calcita habría ocurrido en un medio alcalino y durante la diagénesis tardía. En los cuatro casos de estudio pudo determinarse que los índices de cristalinidad de la francolita y los contenidos en carbonato, suponen una correlación positiva del índice con el incremento relativo del contenido de flúor y el aumento de la fragilidad de los restos fósiles. De esta manera, los estudios sedimentológicos y fosildiagenéticos, en particular los procesos de permineralización en las cavidades vasculares, permiten aproximarnos al conocimiento de las condiciones físicas y químicas existentes durante la litificación y fosilización de los restos en diferentes subambientes fluviales de la Formación Lago Colhué Huapi. New sedimentological and fossil-diagenetic information from remains of four dinosaurs is herein provided. The fossil material was preserved in deposits of different fluvial sub-environments from the middle section of the Lago Colhué Huapi Formation, Golfo San Jorge Basin. In all the studied cases, the bone structure originally constituted by hydroxyapatite was modified by ionic substitution to francolite. The fossil remains contained in fine lithoarenites with high clay minerals content, affected by lithostatic compression, exhibit plastic deformation and intense fracturing which affected the bone microstructure. The francolite presents cavernous texture with high crystallinity index and a lower carbonate content, evidencing processes of mineral dissolution in an acidic environment. The hematite is present as crusts and nodules on the surface of the bones and internally at the edges of the vascular channels. It is related to the precipitation of iron oxide in well oxygenated areas with fluctuating water table. The permineralization of the vascular channels with hematite and well-developed crystals of fluorapatite of neoformation, would have occurred during the early diagenesis. By contrast, the fossil remains contained in coarse lithoarenites with scarce clay minerals, have been less affected by lithostatic compression and are better preserved. The francolite exhibits a massive texture with a lower index of crystallinity and higher carbonate concentration. The permineralization of the vascular channels with hematite and well-developed crystals of calcite would have occurred in an alkaline environment during the late diagenesis. In the four study-cases it could be determined that the crystallinity indexes of the francolite and the carbonate content, display a positive correlation with the relative increase of fluorine content and the fragility of the fossil remains. Therefore, the sedimentological and fossil-diagenetic studies, in particular the permineralization processes in the vascular channels, enhance our understanding of the physical and chemical conditions that prevailed during the lithification and fossilization of the remains in different fluvial sub-environments from the Lago Colhué Huapi Formation. Fil: Casal, Gabriel. Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia "San Juan Bosco". Facultad de Ciencias Naturales - Sede Comodoro. Departamento de Geología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina Fil: Nillni, Adriana Mónica. Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia "San Juan Bosco". Facultad de Ciencias Naturales - Sede Comodoro. Departamento de Geología; Argentina Fil: Valle, Mauro Nicolás. Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia "San Juan Bosco". Facultad de Ciencias Naturales - Sede Comodoro. Departamento de Geología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina Fil: González Svoboda, Ezequiel. Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia "San Juan Bosco". Facultad de Ciencias Naturales - Sede Comodoro. Departamento de Geología; Argentina Fil: Tiedemann, María Celina. Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia "San Juan Bosco". Facultad de Ciencias Naturales - Sede Comodoro; Argentina Fil: Ciapparelli, Helena. Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia "San Juan Bosco". Facultad de Ciencias Naturales - Sede Comodoro. Departamento de Geología; Argentina Fil: Ibiricu, Lucio Manuel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Centro Nacional Patagónico. Instituto Patagónico de Geología y Paleontología; Argentina Fil: Luiz, Marta Mabel. Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia "San Juan Bosco"; Argentina

Jurkowska, A. and Uchman, A. 2013. The trace fossil Lepidenteron lewesiensis (Mantell, 1822) from the Upper Cretaceous of southern Poland. Acta Geologica Polonica, 63(4), 611-623. Warszawa. Lepidenteron lewesiensis (Mantell, 1822) is an unbranched trace fossil lined with small fish scales and bones, without a constructed wall. It is characteristic of the Upper Cretaceous epicontinental, mostly marly sediments in Europe. In the Miechow Segment of the Szczecin-Miechow Synclinorium in southern Poland, it occurs in the Upper Campanian-Lower Maastrichtian deeper shelf sediments, which were deposited below wave base and are characterized by total bioturbation and a trace fossil assemblage comprising Planolites, Palaeophycus, Thalassinoides , Trichichnus, Phycosiphon, Zoophycos and Helicodromites that is typical of the transition from the distal Cruziana to the Zoophycos ichnofacies. L. lewesiensis was produced by a burrowing predator or scavenger of fishes. The tracemaker candidates could be eunicid polychaetes or anguillid fishes.

At six localities in northern Croatia (Donje Oresje, Gornje Oresje), Slovenia (Stranice, Slovenj Gradec), and Bosnia (Bespelj and Kober), successions of shallow-water Campanian deposits transgressively covered a tectonically uplifted and eroded paleorelief. They constitute different lateral parts of a transgressive subtidal environment, where rudists and corals are typical macrofossils. At the investigated localities, two types of succession were distinguished: (a) clastic and (b) carbonate. Most localities are within the extended chronostratigraphic range of Calveziconus cf. lecalvezae (80.5–79.03 Ma), which comprises the upper part of the Vaccinites alpinus interval zone (for Stranice and Slovenj Gradec localities) and beginning of the Pironaea polystyla interval zone (for Bespelj and Kober localities). In clastic successions, corals are the most abundant macrofossils, whereas rudists predominate within carbonate sections. The depositional setting of the investigated localities results from rapid relative sea-level rise with a tectonic overprint, which covered different types of paleorelief. In cases when the paleorelief is gentle, a transgressive succession starts with clastic coral-rich sediments or carbonates with radiolitids. In areas of steeper paleorelief carbonate sediments were deposited with a mixed radiolitid-hippuritid community, and the rudists, as the major macrofossils, indicate higher sedimentation rates in comparison with the clastic situations.

La Formación Boñar (Cretácico Superior) es una sucesión carbonática que aflora al Norte de la Cuenca del Duero (España). Según datos previos, el Miembro Dolomítico de esta formación es el que muestra características petrográficas más favorables para almacenamiento geológico de CO2. El principal objetivo de este trabajo es el aporte de elementos de juicio que apoyen, clarifiquen y concreten –a un nivel de estudio preliminar– la potencialidad del Miembro Dolomítico de la Formación Boñar como roca almacén. La Formación Boñar (Cretácico Superior) es una sucesión carbonática que aflora al Norte de la Cuenca del Duero (España). Según datos previos, el Miembro Dolomítico de esta formación es el que muestra características petrográficas más favorables para almacenamiento geológico de CO2. El principal objetivo de este trabajo es el aporte de elementos de juicio que apoyen, clarifiquen y concreten –a un nivel de estudio preliminar– la potencialidad del Miembro Dolomítico de la Formación Boñar como roca almacén. Boñar Formation (Upper Cretaceous) is a mainly carbonate succession, which outcrops in the North of Duero Basin (Spain). According to the existing data, the Dolomitic Member of this formation appears to be the most suitable for geological storage of CO2. The main objective of this study is to find evidence to support, clarify and specify –at an initial level– the potential of the Dolomitic Member of the Boñar Formation as a geological reservoir. The study covers density, porosity and permeability tests on samples obtained from the outcrop of the succession near the village of Boñar (León). According to the analysis and interpretation of the mentioned petrophysical properties, the porosity of the Dolomitic Member is within the acceptable range for CO2 geological storage, but the permeability values are far too low. This minimizes the possibilities of the Dolomitic Member –and probably of the whole Boñar Formation– to become an appropriate CO2 reservoir.

Thirteen mollusc taxa are described from the Mata Amarilla Formation, a lower Upper Cretaceous unit exposed in southern Patagonia, Argentina. Of these, one is a new bivalve species, . Pterotrigonia flava sp. nov. The fauna was collected from two sections representing different parts of the basin. Sedimentary characteristics at each one, together with the fossil content and taphonomic features of the preserved material, confirm that these localities represent littoral environments (lagoon). The two sections contain autochthonous elements, and beds with mixed autochthonous and parautochthonous fauna. The latter exhibits a marine shoreface influence, possibly owing to washover deposits. The possible age of the fossil-bearing rocks in the sections studied is late Albian-early Cenomanian. © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. Fil: Griffin, Miguel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. Departamento de Paleontología Invertebrados; Argentina Fil: Varela, Augusto Nicolás. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Centro de Investigaciones Geológicas. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. Centro de Investigaciones Geológicas; Argentina